Search

Far infrared and Raman spectra of six hexachlorotellurate (IV) salts have been obtained at ~100 K for the first time. In the rubidium, cesium, ammonium, and tetramethylammonium salts the Raman active T2g cation lattice translatory mode was found. In the monoclinic K2[TeCl6] a number of low frequency lattice modes were observed and interpreted in terms of a phase transition near 165 K, similar to transitions in other K2[MX6] salts. The cubic tetramethylammonium hexachlorotellurate salt undergoes a phase transition of supposed first order at a temperature near 110 K, corresponding to transitions known in analogous uranium and tin compounds. Possible reasons for the transitions are discussed. In the low temperature phases the nu4 and nu6 bendings of [TeCl6]2− have been identified with bands near ~130 and ~110 cm−1. No evidence seemed to favor any stereochemical distortion due to the lone pair of electrons present in hexachlorotellurates. The Journal of Chemical Physics is copyrighted by The American Institute of Physics.